I Move We Move - Good For Kids - NSW Government

Risk management
Early childhood educators must look closely at the risk factors not only for the children but also
for staff. Balancing what you know to be best practice with children’s holistic development, while
maintaining a challenging, but safe environment is important.
Providing an environment which supports safe, active play is important for all early childhood services.
Ensuring that your service adheres to the indoor and outdoor play space and play equipment
requirements set out in the Children's Services Regulation 2004 is a good starting point11 . Also take
into account any allergies your children have to materials used e.g. latex allergy for balloons. Check
for allergies at enrolment and orientation.
Take a fresh look at your physical environment, resources and equipment. Consider the layout of
your service and take precautions to avoid injuries to children from things such as trip hazards,
protruding objects and inappropriate surfacing beneath equipment. Equipment should be well
maintained and all activities appropriately supervised.
Your centre will have an OH&S system in place for monitoring and managing risk. Ignorance is no
excuse; if your centre does not have a system in place, work together with management, families
and staff to develop it.
It is simply not an effective strategy to remove all materials which may include inherent risk. If that risk
can be managed while supporting children’s interactions with materials then take action – identify
the risk, look at what is happening and what needs to be done to manage the risk, then implement
a strategy to support the child’s investigation and you in your role. Include these in your policy and
practices. Many services discourage children from climbing trees or working with sticks. Why is that?
Think about the restrictions your service places on children: Are they for safety reasons or are
they traditions carried on from year to year where no one thinks to ask why? Can those risks be
managed? Have you thought to discuss this with the children, families and other staff?
If a staff member or parent is nervous about children climbing trees or participating in other
activities where staff are not confident in their own ability then this needs to be addressed. Such
insecurities are transferrable. Many prophecies have been realised by well intentioned, but risk
adverse comments about the safety of what children are doing by concerned parents or staff members.
Work with staff to support them on this journey. It will take time but it is well worth the effort.
Ultimately, if the environment doesn’t support children in their quest for mastery and challenge,
then they will develop their own activities which may be climbing fences and escaping. Take a long
hard look at what is happening and work with your children.
For additional information on playground safety for your early childhood service contact The
Playground Advisory Unit of Kidsafe NSW (the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia).
The Playground Advisory Unit is the leading independent organisation in NSW that issues technical
and design advice in relation to playgrounds and children’s play in a variety of settings. Kidsafe
NSW can be contacted on 9845 0890 or www.kidsafensw.org
I Move We Move, The Guide Edition 1 August 2009
AREA HEALTH SERVICE
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